Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing lures and more particularly, to fishing lures having an internal rattle mechanism for attracting fish when the lures are retrieved. The fishing lures are each typically characterized by a small lead jig head or body portion having a hook molded therein for taking fish such as crappie, bass and like game fish, and the lures are commonly fished using a fly rod. Each fishing lure is normally provide with a multi-colored tail portion which may be constructed of plastic, feathers, hair or like flexible material, in order to further attract fish. A non-magnetic metal tube or capsule is inserted in a cavity shaped in the lure body and receives one or more spherical, non-magnetic metal balls, to create rattle when the lure is retrieved.
In recent years, the sport of fishing has evolved into a multi-million dollar industry, with millions of dollars spent annually on boats, fishing tackle and lures. With the increased interest and emphasis on taking such popular game fish as black bass, crappie and the like, came a rapid expansion in the development and marketing of improved fishing tackle and new baits and lures in particular. Perhaps the most effective of all artificial lures, particularly in taking crappie, is the popular "jig" which is characterized by a shaped lead jig head having a hook molded therein and a tail which is constructed of feathers, hair or a flexible plastic material, in non-exclusive particular.
The development of shaped jig heads and jig-type lures which closely simulate life-like creatures such as grubs and the like, along with the development of modern lead molding and injection-molding techniques for creating such life-like replicas, has resulted in remarkable innovation in the fishing industry. The creation of such new lures and auxiliary tackle for using them, which tackle includes light action, sensitive rods and high-strength monofilament line of small diameter, has resulted in a multi-million dollar lure industry. It has been found that lures of this design are highly effective in taking many varieties of game fish, in addition to crappie. Furthermore, the jig-type lures can be cheaply manufactured in volume quantities and are therefore relatively inexpensive and they are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and designs for use under all fishing conditions. Many of these lures are used in cooperation with weed guard and hook configurations which vary in design, depending upon the size and category of fish to be taken. Typically, the jig head is molded with a hook of appropriate size embedded therein, such that the eye of the hook extends either through the front or top of the jig head and the hook extends rearwardly of the jig head, as desired. Such lures may be retrieved using a wide variety of rod actions, depending upon the type of fish sought, the water depth and the weather conditions. Jig heads can be further provided with"trailers" of rubber or plastic material and may be used with both fly rods and light-action rods, as desired.
Various fishing lures having balls mounted in the hollow interior thereof for attracting fish by a"rattling" action, are known in the art. Typical of these, lures is the fishing lure detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,659,176, dated Nov. 17, 1953, to H. R. Wenger. The Wenger lure is characterized by a shaped body portion having a hollow interior, with multiple balls provided in the hollow interior, in order to present a rattling action when the lure is retrieved. A similar fishing lure is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,718,725, dated Sept. 27, 1955, to R. B. Thurman. This lure includes a plastic or wooden body having a cylindrically-shaped cavity therein and multiple ball seats provided in the lower portion of the cavity for receiving multiple balls located in the cavity. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the cavity is characterized by a convoluted passage which includes multiple balls wherein for making a rattling noise when the lure is retrieved. U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,465, dated Dec. 12, 1972, to Andrew Charney, details a fishing lure having an elongated, hollow body which is constructed of a light-refracting plastic material and includes smoothly curved sidewalls which terminate at one or both ends and an oblique face to provide a circle of emitted light. The surfaces of the body are also provided with a pair of ribs extending substantially the full length of the bottom of the body, with relatively narrow, outwardly-facing, light-emitting surfaces disposed obliquely to the adjacent wall surfaces. Interiorly of the body is provided a rollable "knocker" ball, a spinner, or a quantity of salmon eggs. Another "Fishing Lure" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,455, dated Sept. 11, 1973, to James W. Strader. The fishing lure detailed in this patent is characterized by a body portion having a spinner on the front and rear, with each spinner designed such that it will rotate in the same direction as the other spinner. Means for varying the frictional hold on the spinners is also provided to vary the rate of spin of each spinner and to vary the rocking motion of the spinners in the water. This action flashes a pair of light-reflecting eyes and the lure produces a sound when retrieved, by causing balls mounted internally of the body to move within the body and hit one another. U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,851, dated Nov. 2, 1976, to Max Sacharnoski, discloses a "Fishing Lure Sound Producer". The sound producer includes a capsule which features a glass tube with closed ends and a plurality of freely rolling spherical balls provided in the glass tube for association with a fishing lure to produce sounds that attract fish to the lure without materially affecting the attitude of the lure or its course within or through the water. U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,156, dated Feb. 21, 1984, to James R. Gowing, details a "Fishing Lure for Surface Water Fishing", which includes an elongated body having a natural appearance and designed to simulate the swimming characteristics of a small bait fish. Multiple, movable weights are carried by the body within an elongated cavity adjacent the rear end of the body. The cavity and weights are constructed and arranged to permit the weights to move within the cavity and urge the body, while floating at rest, to an upstanding position. Upon retrieval of the body along the water surface, the weights move within the cavity to impart oscillation to the body about an elongated axis extending through the body in opposite directions to produce a rattling sound that attracts fish. U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,157, dated Feb. 21, 1984, to James R. Gowing, further details a "Fishing Lure" which includes an elongated body having a fishing line attached to a front end portion and a rearwardly and upwardly-extending hook carried by the rear end portion. Multiple, movable weights are mounted within a closed cavity provided in the body. The cavity and weights are formed and arranged to permit the weights to move within the cavity and cause the body to oscillate about an elongated axis extending above the longitudinal centerline of the lure and thus produce a unique sound, appearance and disturbance in the water, which attracts fish. U. S. Pat. No. 4,203,246, dated May 20, 1980, to Max Sacharnoski, details a closed glass tube containing multiple spherical balls, which tube can be inserted in various fishing lures, particularly of the injection-molded plastic variety, to help attract fish.
One of the problems associated with fishing lures which utilize spherical sound-producing means in a hollow interior located in a lure body is that of determining and using materials of construction which provide a sufficiently clear, loud and resonant sound to attract fish. This problem is magnified under circumstances where the jig head or lure body is very small and a rattle capsule provided therein for receiving one or more noise-producing spherical balls of selected composition must be small in diameter and length and is therefore influenced by such factors as magnetic activity and the corrosive properties of water vapor. It has surprisingly been found by experimentation that glass, plastic and ferrous metal capsules containing balls of the same or different composition will not produce the required clear and resonant sound characteristics because of the influence of water vapor, static electricity and/or magnetism, which factors adversely affect movement of the spherical ball or balls, either individually or with respect to each other, in the glass or metal vial. Furthermore, such non-metallic materials as glass, ceramic, zirconium and like materials are very light and, regardless of the size, number and consistency of the spherical balls used in a capsule of the same or different composition, the combination will not produce the satisfactory clear, resonant sound characteristics in such a small capsule or vial. Equally surprising is the discovery that an aluminum capsule loaded with one or more, and preferably two stainless steel balls yields a highly satisfactory, resonant sound when the capsule is inserted in a lead jig head and the jig head is retrieved.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved fishing lure with internal rattle, which lure is characterized by a molded head portion provided with an internal cavity, an aluminum, stainless steel or other non-ferrous metal or substantially non-magnetic cylinder, vial or capsule fitted in the internal cavity and at least one spherical, nonmagnetic ball of selected composition provided in the capsule for traversing the capsule and striking the ends of the capsule, thereby producing a rattle having the desired sound characteristics.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved crappie fishing lure provided with an internal rattle, which lure includes a small molded lead jig head provided with a tail portion, an embedded hook and an internal aluminum capsule of appropriate length and diameter and fitted with at least one spherical brass bronze, or stainless steel ball therein, which ball or balls are adapted to traverse the length of the capsule and generate a sound of selected intensity and resonance when striking each other and/or the ends of the capsule pursuant to retrieval of the lure.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved jig-type fishing lure which includes a molded jig head of selected size having a hook embedded therein, a tail portion designed to at least partially conceal the hook and an elongated, corrosion-resistant, non-magnetic metal capsule of corresponding size and diameter fitted in the jig head, with at least one corrosion-resistant, non-magnetic, spherical metal ball located in the capsule for traversing the capsule, striking the ends o the capsule and each other (in the case of multiple balls) and causing a rattling sound having an optimum resonance to project from the capsule and the lure when the lure is retrieved.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved crappie jig which includes a molded lead jig head of selected size and shape, having a hook embedded therein, a flexible plastic or fibrous tail portion attached to the jig head or hook shank, and an opening provided in the jig head for insertion of an aluminum or stainless steel cylinder or capsule of selected length and diameter, with at leas one non-magnetic, corrosion-resistant spherical metal ball located in the capsule for traversing the capsule and causing an optimum rattling action upon retrieval of the lure.